[Surgical therapeutic possibilities of the elbow in chronic polyarthritis]

The natural history of rheumatoid arthritis of the elbow often includes impairment of the function of the upper extremity in advanced stages of the disease. Synovectomy performed by a large radial incision is considered a worthwhile procedure for stages 1-3 according to the classification of Larsen et al. Radiosynoviorthesis is possible in stages 0 and 1. In the authors' opinion, resection- and interposition arthroplasty remains the procedure of choice for advanced stages 4 and 5. For elbows with severe instability alloarthroplasty may be considered. The radial head should generally not be resected. Entrapment neuropathy of the ulnar and the posterior interosseus nerves is possible in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The surgical treatment consists in decompression, if necessary with transposition and synovectomy of the elbow joint.